Bestseller Hanover and Warrawee Ubeaut each stopped the timer in 1:52.4 — the fastest miles this year by freshmen filly pacers on a five-eighths-mile track — to highlight the $182,962 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Saturday, July 7 The Meadows.
The event, known as the Sand Tart, went over three divisions, with Shes Allright taking the other split. Yannick Gingras and trainer Ron Burke teamed for a Sand Tart double with Warrawee Ubeaut and She’s Allright.
A $130,000 yearling acquisition, Bestseller Hanover launched her career with a wire-to-wire 1:53.1 victory at Woodbine Mohawk Park. She vaulted to the lead from post 7 for Dave Palone and jogged home, defeating Art Lecture by two-and-one-quarter lengths. Louphoria finished third.
“She’s done everything right from the start,” said Eric Adams, who trains the daughter of Somebeachsomewhere-Bittorsweet Terror for Miller Farms. “She was a little quirky at first, throwing her head a lot. She was a little bit hesitant when we started with her, but once she got the hang of it, it was two fingers all the time. She has all the big stake races in Canada and whatever we can get to down here.”
Warrawee Ubeaut was just as impressive, moving to the lead past the quarter in her career debut and downing her stablemate Sylph Hanover by three lengths. Philly Hanover rallied for show.
“She can get a little warm here and there, so we just wanted to make sure she’d keep her head on straight,” Gingras said. “She was perfectly behaved today. She has a wealth of ability. She could be a real top horse.”
Burke Racing Stable, Phillip Collura, J&T Silva, Purnell&Libby and Weaver Bruscemi, LLC campaign Warrawee Ubeaut, a daughter of Sweet Lou-Great Memories.
Shes Allright scored on the front in 1:53 in the final division. Rockn Philly was second, three-and-a-quarter lengths back, while Sweet Chrome completed the ticket.
“She’s out of a very good family,” Burke said of the homebred daughter of Sweet Lou-Atsallrite Hanover. “Those are the kind that you expect sometimes will step it up. She’s good gaited and an honest little horse.”
Shes Allright races for Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Michelle Yanek and Collura.
In the $18,000 Preferred Handicap Pace, Phoenix Warrior N made it two straight with an on-the-front performance in 1:50.1 for Jim Pantaleano, trainer Scott Betts and owners Timothy Betts, Nicholas Catalano and Stephen Moss. The first-over Reggiano was second, beaten two lengths, with Stride Of Pride third. The eight-year-old Jeremes Jet-Never Walk Alone gelding lifted his lifetime bankroll to $298,913.
(With files from The Meadows)